The pathway of peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis is both essential and unique to bacteria and the responsible enzymes are present in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, inhibitors of these enzymes are likely to be broad spectrum and safe antibiotics. In fact, several enzymes in this pathway are molecular targets of naturally occurring antibiotics such as fosfomycin, cycloserine, β-lactams and vancomycin (Bugg & Walsh, 192 Nat. Prod. Rep. 9:199-215).
One enzyme intrinsic to the peptidoglycan biosynthesis is MraY. To date, no MraY sequences have been disclosed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen causing infections in patients with burns or neutropenia. More serious is its involvement in respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis patients.
It would be desirable to have polynucleotides and polypeptides encoding the MraY protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in order to further screen compounds for antibiotic activity against this enzyme catalytically active in the first step of the membrane cycle of peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Inhibitors of this enzyme would be particularly helpful in preventing the growth of Pseudomonads and other G+C rich bacteria.
Possession of this information would also greatly facilitate determinations as to the role of the encoded enzyme, Phospho-N-Acetylmurmoyl-Pentapeptide-Translocase, in the pathogenesis of infection and disease.